LORMAN – Alcorn State women's basketball earned a crucial 60-52 victory over Texas Southern on Thursday evening at the Davey L. Whitney Health & Physical Education Complex. The Lady Braves (10-16, 8-7 SWAC) used a dominant second quarter and a strong defensive effort to hand Texas Southern (14-13, 13-3 SWAC) just its fourth conference loss of the season.
Sharmayne Finley led the way for Alcorn with a game-high 20 points, shooting 7-for-14 from the field and 2-for-2 from beyond the arc. Destiny Brown was dominant inside, posting 12 points and five rebounds, while Nakia Cheathman controlled the glass with a career-high 14 rebounds to go along with seven points. The Lady Braves forced 19 turnovers and held Texas Southern to just 34% shooting in the game.
After a slow start in the first quarter, Alcorn erupted in the second, outscoring Texas Southern 20-11 to take the lead into halftime. The Lady Braves maintained their advantage the rest of the way, fending off late pushes from the Tigers to secure the victory.
GAME RECAP
First Quarter – Texas Southern 7, Alcorn 6
- Both teams struggled offensively, combining for just 13 points in the opening period.
- Brown got Alcorn on the board early with a mid-range jumper.
- The Lady Braves' defense forced six turnovers, keeping the Tigers from building a larger lead.
Second Quarter – Alcorn 26, Texas Southern 18
- The Lady Braves found their offensive rhythm, outscoring Texas Southern 20-11 in the quarter.
- Finley caught fire, scoring 10 points, including two three-pointers.
- Cheathman and Brown controlled the paint, combining for 10 rebounds in the first half.
- Alcorn entered the break with an eight-point advantage after shooting 54.5% in the quarter.
Third Quarter – Alcorn 45, Texas Southern 36
- The Lady Braves maintained their defensive intensity, forcing seven turnovers in the period.
- Finley continued to shine, adding six points in the quarter.
- Texas Southern attempted to cut into the lead, but Alcorn responded with key baskets from Brown and Kiarra Henderson.
Fourth Quarter – Alcorn 60, Texas Southern 52
- Texas Southern made a late push, cutting the lead to six with under two minutes to play.
- Cheathman sealed the game with clutch free throws in the closing moments.
- The Lady Braves held Texas Southern to just two made three-pointers for the game, limiting their perimeter attack.
BY THE NUMBERS
- 20 – Sharmayne Finley led all scorers with 20 points, hitting 7-of-14 shots.
- 14 – Nakia Cheathman pulled down a game-high 14 rebounds, leading Alcorn's dominant effort on the boards.
- 19 – The Lady Braves forced 19 turnovers, leading to 19 points off turnovers.
- 28.6% – Alcorn shot 4-for-14 from three-point range, making key shots when needed.
UP NEXT
Alcorn State (10-16, 8-7 SWAC) will return to action on Saturday, March 1, when they host Prairie View A&M at the Davey L. Whitney Health & Physical Education Complex. Tip-off is set for 1 p.m. CST.
